Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), has warned the government that if their demands are not met and negotiations are stalled, the ongoing sit-in will move to the doors of parliament and potentially bring down the ‘fake government’.
Addressing protesters on the second day of the sit-in at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on Saturday, Rehman said, “Participants are making history with this sit-in, aiming to improve the conditions for the public. This sit-in could last for two months.”
“If the government does not take our demands seriously and fails to regulate Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to provide relief to the public, this sit-in will advance to D-Chowk and the parliament’s doors. We will then remove this fake government,” Rehman stated.
He emphasised that the sit-in aims to ignite hope and end despair. “These IPPs are sucking the blood of the people, and this sit-in is raising awareness against them. People across Pakistan are looking to us with hope.”
Rehman criticised the government’s attempts to block the sit-in and provoke clashes between JI workers and police officers. “We thwarted their plan because even the police cannot afford their electricity bills now,” he said.
Rehman assured that the sit-in prioritises peace and that tensions were avoided by splitting one large sit-in into three. He mentioned a previous sit-in at D-Chowk where the government blocked roads and arrested workers but ultimately failed.
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“We are committed to our struggle and will not return without achieving our rights. The prime minister and ministers should not be under the illusion that forming committees will make us call off the sit-in. Negotiations and the sit-in will continue side by side,” he affirmed.
Rehman announced that the sit-in on Murree Road would transform into a historic public gathering, stressing that they would not back down from their ten-point demands. “We have embarked on a decisive battle, and the public’s enthusiasm has forced the government to reconsider,” he added.
He invited everyone to participate in the gathering and warned the government against trying to exhaust the protesters. “If the government attempts to engage us only to sideline us, we have other plans. Sit-ins will take place in Karachi, Lahore, Chitral, Quetta, Peshawar, and Gwadar.”
Rehman made it clear that the government must provide relief on electricity rates, reduce taxes amid rising inflation, stop blocking roads in the name of security, and release missing persons according to the law. “We believe in unity and justice, not ethnic divisions,” he said.
He called on workers and farmers to rise, emphasising that JI will continue the struggle until their demands are met. “The journey has just begun, and we will not abandon it midway. From tomorrow, traders’ caravans will join us,” Rehman concluded, urging JI workers to remain steadfast and not engage in conflicts.
The sit-in, he said, would only end when their demands are met.
